Avatar Trading

This renovation of a 4,000 s.f. loft space into offices for a day trading company is located in a former warehouse in Chelsea. The program included a flexible open floor plan for trading desks, private offices and a conference room. A reception area and secure entry vestibule were also part of brief as well as support spaces. As opposed to a typical Wall Street investment company, the owner wanted to maintain the industrial quality of the space and expose as much of building infrastructure as possible. The fit-out of the space was fast tracked with a very tight construction budget.

Butcher block desks mounted to steel shop bases were selected for the trading area and organized in clusters for different work groups. After the electrical service was upgraded, all of the data and power requirements were routed in cable trays to the building columns with exposed metal conduit and outlets. New indirect lighting was added over the trading desks and a spiral duct for air conditioning was located in the center of the space. A translucent honeycomb panel for security and privacy was designed to separate the elevator vestibule from the reception area. The partner’s offices and conference room face 24th Street, are enclosed in translucent polycarbonate glazing and have direct access to reception. Color was added in specific zones, steel doors left exposed, and the original terracotta column enclosures and maple floor refinished.